Insults are not cool.

It seems to me that so many commenters here at Daily Kos find it very difficult to avoid name-calling.

Including Kos.

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The little dog’s name is Itzl.

When I started posting here in 2006, I sometimes saw the following:

www.dailykos.com/…

1. Be an idiot. The long version is Don’t Be a Jerk (DBAJ); The original version is Don’t Be a Dick (DBAD) and a common variant is Don’t Be an Ass(hole) (DBAA). We all know it when we see it. At least that’s what we like to think we do – that’s what these detailed traffic regulations are intended to make clear.

This is clear from the traffic rules for Daily Kos.

So what Kos means is that if anyone behaves badly, we should all give the commenter a name (idiot, idiot, asshole) and then maybe flag their comment?

I never tag anyone.

Or should we berate ourselves like that when we feel the urge to post something bad?

What annoys me is that this rule enshrines insults, even when you are silently confronting yourself.

1. advocate or call for violence against anyone, Whether public or private personality, not even in jest. DO NOT fantasize violence or violence against anyone. Claims of exaggeration, humor, poetic license/justice, or karma are not excuses. Do NOT dehumanize others with language that inspires fear and disgust (e.g., “rats,” “cockroaches,” “maggots,” “vermin,” “germs,” “contagion,” “aliens,” “subhuman,” etc .). legitimize harm or violence.

OK.

But idiot, dick and asshole are okay?

I don’t see that much of a difference.

It seems to me that if I really don’t approve of someone’s behavior, I might post something like this:

I really don’t agree with your behavior.

Was that so difficult?

I’m an atheist, but I like the Bible.

Even in Jesus’ day, he noticed that violence and murder sometimes began with words.

So he said:

biblehub.com/…

21You have heard that the people of old said, “Thou shalt not kill,” and whoever kills will face judgment: 22But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother without cause will face judgment. And whoever says “Raca” to his brother faces punishment. But whoever says, “You fool, will be in danger of hellfire.” 23So if you bring your gift to the altar and there it occurs to you that your brother has something against you; 24Leave your gift there before the altar and go; First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your offering. 25Quickly prove your opponent right while you are in his way; lest at some point the adversary hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and you are thrown into prison. 26Verily I say to you, you shall not come out of there under any circumstances until you have paid the last penny.

So, Jesus said, call no one a fool.

So many people seem to feel like two wrongs make a right.

They feel like we, the nice people, are free to call Trump an idiot.

(To give just one example.)

The following people were born and raised in Austria and supported the Nazi regime, which killed 6 million Jews:

Adolf Hitler.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s father.

My brother’s father-in-law.

My brother married a young lady, the daughter of a man who flew one of the first jet airplanes.

In Hitler’s military.

This man and his wife and my brother and his wife are all deceased.

They are all buried close together, here in Wichita, Kansas.

I will never piss on their graves.

My father had a similar personality to Richard Nixon: friendly and conservative.

Most likely both of my parents always voted Republican.

My parents are buried in the same part of the same cemetery, here in Wichita, Kansas.

The only family I have now who will answer my calls and give me a lift when needed is my late wife Tonia’s brother, his wife and their three young children.

Tonia’s brother is firmly against gays and transgender people.

He and his wife will almost certainly vote Republican.

He and his wife will get my life insurance money when I die.

They are in my will and power of attorney documents.

I won’t insult her.

I will not.

Hugs, my IAN friends.

Hugs.